Thill-tug.



PATENTBD AUG. '1, 1906.

B. P. D. MILLER.

THILL TUG. APPLICATION FILED s291212. 1905.

NITED STATES PATENT' OFFICE.

BENJAMIN F.

D. MILLER, OF WOOSTER, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH J. RUSEK AND ONE-HALF TO HARRY J. LEHMAN, OF

WOOSTER, OHIO.

THlLL-TUG.

No.s2s,231.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. '7, 1 906.

To all wil/0711, '1115 712/007./ concern;

Beit known that I, BENJAMIN F. D. MIL- LER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wooster, in the county of Wayne and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Thill-Tugs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in thill tugs or bearers.

1o It has for its object to promote durability and wearing qualities and yet provide therefor without appreciably increasing cost of manufacture and expense to purchaser 5 and to these ends said invention consists of certain structural features substantially as hereinafter fully disclosed, and particularly pointed out by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure l is a perspectiveview thereof. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same transversely to its axis. Fig. 3 is an axial section thereof, and Fig. 4 is aplan view of the blank for the initial formation of the device.

In the carrying out my invention I produce, of preferably a good quality of malleable iron or metal, a ring, cuff, or casing 1, constituting the outer member of the shaft or thill tug or bearer, which is cast or molded into form as a blank, as shown by Fig. 4, as above noted. It is initially formed upon its lateral edges with lugs 2, subsequently bent so as to form clasps, as seen in Fig. 3, for a purpose presently made apparent. Said ring or cuff forming blank; is also initially provided upon its outer surface, at what subsequently form practically diametrically opposite points, with additional lugs or projections 3 and 4, each of which is thereafter bent or formed into an eye or ear, as particularly seen in Fig. 2. The ears or eyes 3 receive and provide for the attachment to the ring or cuff of a buckle 5 to receive and effect connection with the ordinary back-band 6, while the ear or eye 4 receives and provides for the attachment to the ring or cuff of a strap 7, passing under the horse or animal which may be hitched up. Further, upon the outer lateral edges of the cuff or ring forming blank a suitable distance from the ear-forming lugs for the back-bandattaching buckle are formed what at first may be termed plate-like extensions 8, which are later bent to form outstanding lateral portions of a keeper or loop for receiving and suitably confining the pendent portion of the back-band 6. Said loop is additionally comprised of a plate 8a, endwise inserted between the lateral portions 8 of the keeper or loop and overlapped and held in place from outward displacement by projections or lugs Saa, integral with said lateral portions of said keeper and bent toward eachv other. This loop, however, maybe formed of leather, if preferred.

Arranged interiorly of and closely embraced by the ring, cuff, or casing l is a strip or piece of leather 9, preferably soleleather because of the lasting wearing qualities of the latter, wearing smooth, consequently compacting its fibers, and thus longer Wearing than like material of other types or forms, and accordingly not requiring renewal only at very long intervals. Said leather portion or thus-formed lining or cushion 9 is effectively held in place by bending the lateral edge lugs or clasps 2 inward and embedding the free edges thereof, which are preferably tapered, into the lateral edges or portions of said lining or cushion, as disclosed more especially by Fig. 3. This bending of the lugs or clasps 2 and embedding them into the cushion or lining may be expedited and facilitated by using suitable means adapted for that purpose, as formers, &c. Of course like'means or facilities for the bending of the eye or ear forming lugs and loopforming plate-like extensions may be adopted therefor.

The casing or ring, with its adjunctive parts, may be suitably finished or nickel.

plated or otherwise ornamented to conform to the other furnishings of the harness in c'on- -unction with which it may be desired to employ my thill or shaft tug or bearer, as is obvious.

I claiml. A device of the character described, comprising a casing, ring or cuff having formed with its lateral edges clasps or lugs for the holding of a lining or cushion thereon said clasps or lugs being tapered toward their free ends and laterally embedded in said lining or cushion.

2. A device of the character described, having a casing, ring or cuff, equippedupon its periphery with buckle-attaching ear orA IOO IOS

- eye-forming lugs, and upon its lateral edges In testimony whereof I afEX my signature vsith a loop-forming p1ate-1ike extension, and in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

c asp-forming lufrs, and a lining or cushion T arranged Within tsa'ziid ring or casing, said lat- BER JAMIN F' D' MILLER' eral-edge claspiorining lugs being embedded Witnesses:

into the corresponding portions of said oush- WILLIAM J. DEIBEL,

ion or lining. W. G. PATTERSON. 

